U.S. Government Causing a Racial Divide in America?

Educator and activist Jay Morrison argues there is a double-standard in how the U.S. government treats African Americans.

Gavin Long, the shooter who killed three police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 10 tweeted a quote he attributed to Jay Morrison, “Yes, the gov’t is a hate group, they hate black people.” Educator and activist Jay Morrison reacted to the tweet and discussed the state of race in America.

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“Well, definitely a confusing point at that point, I didn’t even realize, I probably did say it, I can’t remember when I said it, that particular quote. But there is plenty of tweets that he tweeted, there’s plenty of information out there online, it is what it is,” Morrison told the FOX Business Network’s Charles Payne.

Payne then asked if that was honestly how he felt about how the current U.S. government views black people in America.

“Well the current U.S. government system is of the same system, the same structure that it’s always been. We can call it mislike, we can call it antipathy, but regardless, there is a difference in how the government treats and addresses black people or Africans in America and the way they do other groups.”

When Morrison gave examples of how the U.S. legal system historically worked against African Americans even after slavery was abolished, Payne responded, “I hear what you’re talking about with respect to America’s history,” Payne continued, “but I still don’t see where you’re justifying your current anger toward America or the American government. I can see you being upset about what may have happened in the past.”

But when Morrison said, “nothing’s changed,” Payne disagreed, “Of course it’s changed. The fact that you’re in this studio right now talking the way you are is the best proof in the world that it’s changed.”

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But Morrison still contended that nothing has changed citing the thirteenth amendment.

“The fact that the thirteenth amendment still says, ‘slavery was abolished except you commit a crime,’ says that things are still the same. And when you have inmates working in prison, a majority of whom are Africans in America who are making 20 or 30 cents a day.”

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Then Payne asked Morrison, “Do you think Barack Obama hates black people?” To which Morrison asserted that there are many good people in government but it’s the corrupted system that leads to the negative consequences.

“I don’t think that all cops hate black people. I don’t think that all government officials hate Black people. What I’m saying is that you can put good people in a bad, you’re a business man, you know, you can put good people in a bad system with a company culture that’s screwed up, then it’s going to play out in the market. Well the market for us is the treatment of African people in America.”

Then Morrison suggested, “Ask your white friends at home, ask them ‘would you trade places with the treatment of black people in America?’ And not one would because we all know it’s unfair.”

But Payne countered, “Well I don’t want to speak for all white people here but I will say a lot of people would probably turn around and say the worst part about the treatment of black people in America is how black people treat each other in America.”

To which Morrison responded, “We always spin the point. When does the perpetrator take acceptance, right? You want the victim to take acceptance but when does the perpetrator, the government who created the system that has abused and traumatized the people?”

Morrison then explained, “The solution for us is for us to take some self-dignity, self-pride, by us unifying, understand that before we’re American we’re African first, that’s why it’s African-American.”

But Payne disagreed, saying, “I think we’re all Americans first and foremost. I am an American and I’m of African descent and I’m proud of that, but I’m more proud of being an American more than anything else.”